Swarm: Star Force, Book 1

Kyle Riggs is snatched by an alien spacecraft sometime after midnight. The ship is testing everyone it catches and murdering the weak. The good news is that Kyle keeps passing tests and staying alive. The bad news is the aliens who sent this ship are the nicest ones out there.

Steel World: Undying Mercenaries, Book 1

In the twentieth century Earth sent probes, transmissions and welcoming messages to the stars. Unfortunately, someone noticed. The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined their vast Empire. Swearing allegiance to our distant alien overlords wasn't the only requirement for survival. We also had to have something of value to trade, something that neighboring planets would pay their hard-earned credits to buy.

Battle Cruiser: Lost Colonies, Book 1

One starship will either save Earth or destroy her. A century ago our star erupted, destroying Earth's wormhole network and closing off trade with her colonized planets. After being out of contact with the younger worlds for so many years, Humanity is shocked when a huge ship appears at the edge of the solar system. Our outdated navy investigates, both curious and fearful. What they learn from the massive vessel shocks the planet.

Warship: Black Fleet Trilogy, Book 1

In the 25th century, humans have conquered space. The advent of faster-than-light travel has opened up hundreds of habitable planets for colonization, and humans have exploited the virtually limitless space and resources for hundreds of years with impunity. So complacent have they become with the overabundance that armed conflict is a thing of the past, and their machines of war are obsolete and decrepit. What would happen if they were suddenly threatened by a terrifying new enemy?

Koban: Conflict and Empire

The Galactic Federation is confronted by the vast and implacable Thandol Empire, which has coveted the former Krall region of space for eons, a region of space now occupied and claimed by the upstart Kobani. Outnumbered, they face an opponent who possesses new and deadly weapons. An enemy that had thousands of years to develop the means to take on the Krall Empire, and now present the supermen with a weapon that turns their greatest genetic asset into their greatest weakness.

The Ember War: Publisher's Pack, Books 1-2

The Ember War, book 1: The Earth is doomed. Humanity has a chance. In the near future, an alien probe arrives on Earth with a pivotal mission: to determine if humanity has what it takes to survive the impending invasion by a merciless armada. The probe discovers Marc Ibarra, a young inventor who holds the key to a daring gambit that could save a fraction of Earth's population. Humanity's only chance lies with Ibarra's ability to keep a terrible secret and engineer the planet down the narrow path to survival.

The Lost Starship

Ten thousand years ago, a single alien super-ship survived a desperate battle. The vessel's dying crew set the AI on automatic to defend the smashed rubble of their planet. Legend has it the faithful ship continues to patrol the empty battlefield, obeying its last order throughout the lonely centuries.In the here and now, Earth needs a miracle. Out of the Beyond invade the New Men, stronger, faster and smarter than the old. Their superior warships and advanced technology destroy every fleet sent to stop them.

Omega Rising: Omega Force, Book 1

Jason Burke was a man hiding from himself in a small cabin high in the American Rocky Mountains when his simple, quiet life was shattered one night by what he first assumed was an aviation mishap. But when he investigates the crash, what he finds will yank him out of his self-imposed exile and thrust him into a world he could have never imagined.

A Learning Experience, Book 1

When a bunch of interstellar scavengers approach Earth intending to abduct a few dozen humans and sell them into slavery in the darkest, they make the mistake of picking on Steve Stuart and his friends, ex-military veterans all. Unprepared for humans who can actually fight, unaware of the true capabilities of their stolen starships, the scavengers rapidly lose control of the ship - and their lives.

The Empire's Corps

The Galactic Empire is dying and chaos and anarchy are breaking out everywhere. After a disastrous mission against terrorists on Earth itself, Captain Edward Stalker of the Terran Marine Corps makes the mistake of speaking truth to power, telling one of the most powerful men in the Empire a few home truths. As a result, Captain Stalker and his men are unceremoniously exiled to Avalon, a world right on the Rim of the Empire. It should have been an easy posting...

Starfire

On June 30, 1908 an object fell from the sky releasing more energy than a thousand Hiroshima bombs. A Siberian forest was flattened, but the strike left no significant crater. The anomaly came to be known as the Tunguska Event, and scientists have never agreed whether it was the largest meteor strike in recorded history - or something else. Alien Artifacts have been uncovered since the 1908 event, and a new star drive is discovered.

Ark Royal

Seventy years ago, the interstellar supercarrier Ark Royal was the pride of the Royal Navy. But now, her weapons are outdated and her solid-state armour nothing more than a burden on her colossal hull. She floats in permanent orbit near Earth, a dumping ground for the officers and crew the Royal Navy wishes to keep out of the public eye. But when a deadly alien threat appears, the modern starships built by humanity are no match for the powerful alien weapons.

Publisher's Summary

Rebellion is the turning point in the great interstellar war between all living creatures and the machines. Star Force is on the side of the machines... but for how long?

In the third book of the Star Force series, Kyle Riggs learns just what kind of war Earth is caught up in. At the mercy of the Macros, his marines fight against new alien races, big and small. They battle the innocent and the vile alike, until their situation becomes grim. Rebellion is a military science-fiction novel by best-selling author B. V. Larson.

This is a great series and if you like star wars, starship troopers or the terminator, then you should give this series a go. Like any good geek though, I insist you start from the first book even though previous books are summed up. Why watch something halfway through. Im enjoying this although I really wish he'd kill one of the characters. He's an utter git and any self respecting hero would have sorted him out by now.

I really enjoyed the continued adventures of Colonel Kyle Riggs and his assorted crew. The characters are developing with every instalment and we are learning more about the Macros and where they came from. This book was also the one that introduced Marvin, who became another headache for Riggs although Marvin's logic to questions and the actions he took had me smiling.Another excellent performance from Mark Boyett - as other reviews have commented some of his pronunciations have been a little strange - vehicle being one of them - but they didn't distract from the story.I'm looking forward to Mr Boyett reading the next part of the series to me.

After a shaky start I'm now hooked on the Star Force series. Book three of the series, Rebellion has Kyle Riggs in the thick of things again now having to go directly from a brutal battle with the worms of Helios to another star system with no respite given by the Macros.

In Rebellion there are several new pieces to the puzzle provided which aids Kyle in the understanding of the Macros and Nanos. This aspect of the story alone is very satisfying as from my point of view, providing more insight or answers to certain unknowns keeps the readers imagination fired and allows the story to gradually unfold a little more offering tantalizing clues to further possible revelations.

For example, a race not seen since book one is encountered again and we learn much more about them and their society. Larson comes up with very non-human culture for these beings and indeed for the worms too and avoids anthropomorphising these aliens in a way so many other authors tend to do. They are not human and therefore many aspects about them are completely alien to us including the very way in which they think. In Rebellion we begin to see the means by which allies can be formed to fight against the Macros and at this point in the series I do hope that such cooperation between biotic species does come about as this angle by itself can form the basis of an entire book given the complexities of social interaction and frames of reference between species.

Kyle is armed with new knowledge and new tools from which to continue the fight against the Macros and Larson writes a new asset or perhaps more aptly thought of as a new character to the mix that is cleverly depicted. This new persona is named Marvin but I had to wonder if this name was chosen in homage to a character from "The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy" book who was known as Marvin the paranoid android. In any case, Marvin proves an interesting and valuable new addition to Kyle's crew but also has odd behaviours that are part way explained by Marvin's machine intellect. Cleverly written by Larson and no doubt a character with plenty of scope for future expansion and development.

As usual with Larson's military science fiction stories the body count is immense in Rebellion and some of the battles depicted between the Star Force marines and the aforementioned familiar alien race reminded me somewhat of the movie Zulu where relative few face huge numbers of less well armed but fearlessly determined enemy.

Rebellion was another Larson page turner and entertaining. Kyle Riggs still has an eye for the ladies and still seems to be able to think about ogling his girlfriend in the most dire of situations but other than that I have no real issues with the character of Riggs. This story also has the benefit of being mostly based in space and away from Earth so we barely see the annoying Crow character at all!

Mark Boyett as ever is an excellent narrator and I am pleased to see he will be narrating most of the Star Force related books. One minor observation I have to make is how a new character called Gorski initially sounded Hispanic despite the eastern European name but this switches to a more Russian like accent as perhaps befits the name. Apart from that very minor thing Boyett is superb with a good range of accents and can make men and women sound distinct which perhaps isn't easy for a man with a fairly deep voice.

Star Force:Rebellion is an enjoyable and gripping read and really builds upon the story so far and opens the way for plenty of future scope. If you've already read the first two books in this series then I don't need to persuade you to get this one but if you've come across this review with a notion to read this book first then I would urge you to start with book one and go on from there.

Would you consider the audio edition of Rebellion to be better than the print version?

Never read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

Loads of action, not one sided, again not that predictable.Was hopeful that the 'girlfriend' was going to get the heave-ho as she is starting to get on my nerves, but she might develop later in the series. Interesting and innovative slant on how the 'aliens' communicate although the speed of decoding the languages was just too unbelievable.Let's lose the 'mines' and the totally implausible rescue missions.

Have you listened to any of Mark Boyett’s other performances? How does this one compare?

3rd one. Probably the best yet but starting to get really stretched on the characters 'voices'

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Naming the robot 'Marvin' was total genius to any fan of the 'Hitchhiker' series

Really enjoying he series, can't wait to start the next book. I enjoyed Mark Boyettes narration from the Troy Rising series that I actually stumbled across B V Larson s series when reading through the list of other books Mark had narrated. He is very good with male and female voices alike and makes the story that much more immersive!

I love this series,the author doesn't bore the reader with unnecessary jargon or technical information,but adds enough to make it interesting and help the story along. Audible,keep doing these books!

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

James

United States

27/01/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Rebellion brings it together."

B. V. Larson's Rebellion book 3 in the Star Force Series Pulls the story line from books 1 & 2together yet leaves you wanting more. Very good ballance of action and Sci-Fi. I plan to buy the rest of the series as they are developed. Best series I've listen to sence i've listened to Fred Saberhagen's Berserker series. Mark Boyett does an exceptional performance in this series.Hope he stays with it..........

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Greg

COLUMBUS, MS, United States

27/01/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"A Very Good Series"

What did you love best about Rebellion?

It's an overall good story. This one in particular is very fast paced, action in just about every chapter without going too in depth into techno babble. Just enough to paint the picture and move on.

The narrating is absolutely superb across all three books. Hopefully, Boyett comes back for #4.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kyle Riggs, of course. Nobody in this series lives long enough to go too in depth with. But, it's a 1st person story telling so just the nature of the beast.

Which scene was your favorite?

Not sure there really is a favorite here. One stands out but strikes me as an author just deciding to take his main character on a death defiance trip for cheers.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Star Force Marines, life expectancy: thirty seconds.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

William

Plover, WI, United States

07/10/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Pure Unabashed Sci-Fi Fun"

My first venture into the world of military Sci-Fi was John Ringo, and I was so disappointed with his books, that I was reluctant to try a different series in the same genre. When I saw that the narrator, Mark Boyett, was the same as the Ringo books that I had disliked, I had further reservations, even though Boyett is a great narrator.

My fears were totally unfounded. This is a light, action-packed sci-fi adventure where the fast-paced story is never held back by overly-detailed technology explanations or self-righteous, right-wing sermonizing as in the Ringo books.

The sci-fi tech is very interesting and well-thought out. I found it was also pleasing that the tech did not seem to be the point of the story, but rather was secondary to the well-conceived plot.

The protagonist questions himself, and yet is capable and competent, with a good since of humor. He is very likeable and it is enjoyable to be privy to his decision-making process throughout the numerous battles with the Macros and other species.

I usually just listen to my audiobooks in my hour commute back and forth from work. The Star Force series has been so intriguing and gripping that I had to bring it into the house and listen to it there as well.

I've finished three of the books so far, and each time I finish one, I don't wait until I have the credits to buy the next installment. I've not had this much fun with Sci-Fi in a long time, and I will probably be exploring more of B.V. Larson's books in the future.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Richard

FOXBORO, MA, United States

20/09/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Series - Awesome Cover"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, but have to enjoy sci fi

What did you like best about this story?

The growth of the character and the story.

What does Mark Boyett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mark really brings out the characters out and makes it funnier then it probably would be.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I almost did. Didn't want to turn it off.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Ron

Basehor, KS, United States

04/05/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Why not?"

If you've made it this far into the series you know that this is just a fun Sci fi series and Mark Boyett does a great job at narrating the book. I look forward to more books in this series.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Dennis

17/09/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Very Good Series!!!"

It is rare to get a Very Good story with very good Narration. Each book is just as good or better then the last.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Mark

Houston, TX, United States

27/01/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"good clean fun"

Would you consider the audio edition of Rebellion to be better than the print version?

Yes, it was very well delivered...all 3 in the series were.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Well, Kyle Riggs of course. In this book, he was more human, less brilliant than in the 1st especially. The only thing about this character that I kept thinking was, he's a college professor, no military experience, and in charge of military veterans, indeed, in charge of Starforce, responsible for Earth's existence?

What does Mark Boyett bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Personality, he adds a layer of interest to all the characters. He's good with accents.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The herd race, choosing to die as they did...that was thought provoking.

Any additional comments?

Great series, as someone else said in their review of the first book, the scene descriptions leave you enough leeway to

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Todd D. Rainer

Humble, TX United States

21/02/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"I mostly wanted them all to die."

Would you try another book from B. V. Larson and/or Mark Boyett?

Nope.

What was most disappointing about B. V. Larson’s story?

It was either the every present, passive aggressive girlfriend of the commander, or the fact that commander mostly behaved like a teenaged boy around girls. I started fast forwarding though anything that had anything to do with their interaction.

Which scene was your favorite?

Some of the space combat was acceptable. But the commander is an idiot.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Rebellion?

Too many to list...EVERYTHING that had anything to do with the girlfriend.

Any additional comments?

I bought the first three on a whim to see how they compared to a "Star Force" concept that I've had since childhood (30+ years ago). My story is better, if I ever actually write it.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Doug in syd

Sydney, Australia

15/03/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Three and still strong"

I like most who have reviewed this series, thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes and have just finished the third and its terrific. If you like action,aliens and tongue in cheek plots take a ride you wont be disappointed. narration is good, story is interesting and the price is right.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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